A gene silencing approach can save monkeys from high doses of the most lethal strain of Ebola virus in what researchers call the most viable route yet to treating the deadly and frightening infection.

They used small interfering RNAs or siRNAs, a new technology being developed by a number of companies, to hold the virus at bay for a week until the immune system could take over. Tests in four rhesus monkeys showed that seven daily injections cured 100 per cent of them.

U.S. government researchers and a small Canadian biotech company, Tekmira Pharmaceuticals, worked together to develop the new approach, described in the Lancet medical journal on Thursday.

Excellent news. Ebola has always been a problem as it kills faster than the immune system can respond. This was a VERY controlled test. The details of the Ebola in use were known in advance. The necessary RNA elements were produced in sufficient volume. The concept worked as expected (hoped). It doesn't necessarily mean that it solves the problem for someone infected with a different strain of Ebola for which there isn't pre-produced, tested and usable RNA to achieve the suppression.

Apparently you missed that my reference to Dustin Hoffman was to the movie "Outbreak," not any off-camera comments that he may or might not have said. I'll try not to be too subtle in my humor next time.

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